Secondary Recalls of CRF Frozen Foods for Listeria Monocytogenes

Since there have been so many recalls for frozen vegetable and fruit products for possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination and because there is an outbreak linked to these foods, we thought we would gather them all in one place. They will be listed from newest to oldest, so if you check back to this page every day, you will see the newest recalls first.

It’s important to note that the illnesses are only linked to CRF products listed in their initial recall and the two updates. None of the other products listed in the secondary recalls are linked to the outbreak and no illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the consumption of those products.

This all started when a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak was linked to CRF Frozen Foods products by the CDC. At least eight people in three states are sickened in this outbreak. CRF recalled all of its frozen fruits and vegetables going back to May 2014, and this resulted in many secondary recalls of products packaged and sold by other companies.

Please look through these lists carefully. There are many, many products and many brand names affected by these recalls. If you have any of these products in your home, throw them away in a sealed container or return them to the place of purchase for a refund. Wash your hands carefully after handling these products. Do not use these products even if you plan to cook them, especially in the microwave oven. Microwave ovens all have “cold spots” which create areas in the food that may not get hot enough to kill the bacteria.

Then clean out your refrigerator and/or freezer with a solution of one tablespoon liquid chlorine bleach to one gallon of warm water. Listeria bacteria can grow at refrigerator temperatures and freezing does not kill it.

If you ate any of these recalled products, monitor yourself for the symptoms of listeriosis for the next 70 days, especially if you are in a high risk group, have a chronic illness, or are pregnant. The symptoms include high fever, muscle aches, stiff neck, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Pregnant women may suffer a miscarriage, stillbirth, or premature labor if they contract listeriosis, even though their symptoms are mild and similar to the flu. If you do get sick, see your doctor.